


Three Conversations

by FrolickingDirtChild



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Episode: s05e03 Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places, F/M, Fix-It, Healthy Communication, Monogamy, very mild jealousy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-04-05 00:37:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14032308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrolickingDirtChild/pseuds/FrolickingDirtChild
Summary: Three alternate endings for the problem in the O'Brien household in 05x03 "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places." (Keiko has been trying to get Miles and Nerys to get along. When they finally do, they notice a mutual attraction. Nerys decides to take some time off on Bajor and, not knowing the reason, Keiko insists that Miles go with her. They object, but Keiko thinks they're still not getting along.) Each chapter can be read as a stand-alone.





	1. Miles Talks to Keiko

**Author's Note:**

> I like to see good communication in relationships. I didn't see it in this episode, so I fixed it. Three times. That may be overkill, but I'm fine with that.

That night, as they were getting ready for bed, Miles said uncomfortably, "Keiko, can we talk?"

"Of course, Miles. What's going on?" Keiko was in her pajamas and brushing her hair.

"There's something I'd like to talk to you about. And ... well, I don't really know how to say it." Miles nearly tripped trying to take his pants off. He blushed, but he was turned away from Keiko. "That is, I know what I have to say, but I'm afraid ... er, um, I don't know how you'll react." He turned around and looked her in the eyes, shyly.

Keiko put her brush down and sat on the bed. "Have you done something I'm not going to be happy about?"

"No." Miles joined her on the bed. "I haven't done anything. And I won't do anything. I would never hurt you. At least, I hope I wouldn't."

Keiko put her hand on Miles' cheek. "I trust you, Love." She laid down under the covers, and Miles followed suit. They left the lights on, because they believed in looking at each other when they were having an important conversation.

"It's about Major Kira." Keiko opened her mouth. "Wait. I know how you feel about it, but let me have my say first." Keiko closed her mouth and nodded gently. "I know you appreciate her carrying our baby and want to do everything we can for her, and trust me, I do, too." He paused, weighing how to go on or steeling himself for what he was about to say. "It's just that I'm a little uncomfortable with our current arrangement. I'm not saying she needs to move out," he added hastily. "I just ... well, I need you to know how I feel and be understanding and accomodating." He smiled nervously. If he prefaced the revelation enough, surely she wouldn't be able to explode at him, right?

"Okay, Miles. I'm listening. But I think you can call her Nerys." She reached for his hand under the blankets and squeezed it.

"When ... Nerys and I are together, sometimes I feel ... attracted to her. I would never ... but I can't help it, and ... well, it'd really make me feel better if I weren't giving her massages, you know?"

Hurt flashed through Keiko's eyes, but she didn't say anything. She seemed to be thinking about how she should react.

"I love you, Keiko, and nothing will ever change that. This is just ... I didn't try to feel this way."

"You're right. It's not your fault, and it's not fair for me to blame you," Keiko said, with effort. "How does Nerys feel?"

Miles swallowed. "Um, I think she, uh, feels it too. But you know she wouldn't... Please don't think this is her fault."

"No, of course not. I'm afraid I've put her in a hard situation. She probably feels a bit like she's taking advantage of my hospitality and breaking my trust, even while she knows she hasn't done anything wrong. And she doesn't know how to get out of it."

"Yeah, I suppose so. I hadn't really thought about it like that. So ... you're really not mad at me?"

"Mad, no. I'll admit I'm a little hurt, and I'm sorry because I know you really haven't done anything, but I want to be honest about how I feel."

Miles put his hand behind Keiko's head and kissed her on the forehead, then the mouth. "And I want you to know how I feel." He rubbed her shoulder in the way that meant he wanted her to roll over. She did, and he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. She interlaced her fingers with his. It felt good to be held and to know they were close enough to talk about anything and to know they were close enough sometimes nothing needed to be said. But he said something anyway. After commanding the lights off, he whispered in her ear, "I need you, Keiko O'Brien. I don't know what I'd do without you."  
  
She fell asleep with a smile on her face.


	2. Nerys Talks to Keiko

Nerys paced nervously outside the O'Briens' door. She had just gotten off shift and knew that Miles was still working, but Keiko was home. This was her chance. _Just stick with "I" statements and you'll be fine,_  she reminded herself. She took a deep breath and rang the bell. The door opened and she went inside to find Keiko coming out of the bedroom. When she saw Nerys, her face brightened.

"Nerys. It's nice to see you. Is there anything I can do for you?"

_Keep calm, Nerys._ "I just came to talk." She paused. "About something in particular."

"Oh?" Keiko said as she sat on the couch and gestured for Nerys to join her.

Nerys bit her lip as she sat down, then composed herself and said, "Yes. It's about the trip to Bajor. I think I should go alone. And I want you to understand why. I *need* you to understand why. I don't want to hurt your feelings or make you uncomfortable, but I think you should know. Please understand."

Nerys paused as if waiting for assurance that Keiko understood what she hadn't said yet. Keiko smiled kindly, "Go ahead."

"First I want you to know how much I appreciate everything you and Miles have done for me. It's been really nice. Except today, I've started to feel uncomfortable. Like I was abusing your hospitality. And I don't want to feel like that anymore." She paused to gather her thoughts.

Keiko gave her a moment to think, then said, "What's making you uncomfortable?"

Nerys looked away. "Being so close to Miles. I hope you already know that I would never do anything to betray your trust in us. I just ... I've been feeling ..."

"You're attracted to him," Keiko finished for her, struggling to sound empathetic.

"Yes," Nerys said in a small voice. "I'm not trying to be, but being around him so much isn't helping."

Keiko took a deep breath and said, "Just think of it as something else we have in common." Nerys let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Does he feel the same way?"

"Him? Uh... I don't want to speak for him. I mean, he hasn't said anything, so I really don't know."

"But you suspect?"

"Yeah. I wasn't sure if I should ask or if that would just make everything more awkward."

Keiko nodded. "I'll talk to him." Seeing the panicked look on Nerys's face, she added, "Don't worry; I'm not mad. At either of you. Thanks for explaining."

* * *

 

When Miles got home, Nerys wasn't there. He felt slightly relieved, and then a little guilty for feeling relieved. Keiko greeted him with a hug and a kiss. "Nerys and I had a good conversation today," she said as she pulled out of the hug.

"Oh?" Miles felt nervous, despite Keiko's conversational tone. "What about?"

"You. Her feelings. Your feelings."

Miles gulped. "Uh, what exactly did she say?"

"She explained why she didn't want you to accompany her to Bajor. Perhaps you didn't want to, either."

"So I don't have to go?"

"No. Would you tell me why you don't want to go?"

Miles flushed a bright pink. "I ... um, that's ... well, it's hard to explain."

"You're attracted to her and you're afraid of the situation getting out of hand?" Keiko guessed.

Miles's eyes went wide, then his face melted into a pathetic expression. "Yeah," he squeaked.

"Miles, honey. You don't have to be afraid to talk to me. Even about things like this. I *trust* you. I know I can get jealous sometimes, but you're not in trouble unless you actually did something wrong. You didn't do anything wrong, did you?" Her tone was playful at the end, but Miles knew that underneath it she was serious, and he'd better answer with complete honesty this time.

"Well, I may have briefly imagined the two of us on vacation together in Ireland, but I stopped when I saw where that was going. And I saw her butt once when she was getting out of the bath. I won't say I didn't like it. That doesn't count, does it?"

Keiko laughed. "I can't say I like to hear that, but no, it doesn't count."

"Then I can assure you, Mrs. O'Brien, that **nothing**  has happened between Nerys and me that you don't know about. And if I may say so, I like your butt better." He emphasized this last statement by grabbing it.

Keiko's smile went into her eyes this time. "Before you distract me, I have one last question for you."

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you tell me how you were feeling?"

Miles shifted uncomfortably. "I didn't know how to tell you without sounding like I'd betrayed you or stopped being attracted to you. I didn't want you to wonder if I still wanted you to be my wife. Because I do. I always will."

Keiko sighed. "I guess I can understand that. But maybe from now on, you can have a little more faith in me?"

Miles looked abashed. "Yes. From now on, I come to you with things like this. Not that there will be any more things like this."


	3. They Both Talk to Keiko

As soon as Keiko left, Nerys whispered, "We can't do that."

"No, but what will we tell Keiko?"

"How about the truth?"

"That I have inappropriate feelings for a woman who is not my wife and I'm afraid if I go to Bajor I'll break my wedding vows? I don't think she'll take that well."

"It's all about how you say it. Don't be too explicit. And emphasize the 'why': You have no intention of hurting Keiko and you'll do whatever you need to not to cross any lines."

"Or not cross any **more**  lines," Miles amended.

"I think you're being too judgmental of yourself. You can't help feelings; all you can control is how you react to them. Have you done anything to encourage yourself to be attracted to me? Because what I've seen is the opposite. You haven't done anything you need to feel ashamed of, and I think Keiko will understand that."

"Back to the 'we' part. Does this mean you'll do it with me?" Miles heard what he had said and got flustered, "Talk to Keiko, I mean. Obviously not do ... you know."

Nerys was tempted to laugh but saw how uncomfortable Miles looked and decided to ignore the last comment. "I'll let you do it yourself if you want. I can see how you might want this to be just a husband and wife kind of talk."

"No!" Miles interrupted. "No, I definitely do not want to have to do this alone."

"Miles, it almost seems like you're afraid of her. Like you think she's going to hurt you."

"Yeah, I know how absurd that sounds. Keiko's so gentle. But in a way it's true. Because disappointing her hurts me. I hate to see that look on her face..." He trailed off to avoid thinking too hard about the few times Keiko had looked at him with disappointment.

"Okay, then. I'll try to handle most of the talking. But here's a tip: Try to start your sentences with 'I': 'I feel...', 'I'm afraid...', 'I don't want to...', stuff like that. Don't say anything about how she encouraged you to do things for me, because she might take that as blaming the situation on her."

"Got it."

* * *

 

"Keiko, do you have a minute?" Nerys asked. Miles paled.

"Sure. What did you want to talk about?"

"Why don't we all sit down?" They did, and Nerys continued, "We've decided that I should go to Bajor alone. Right, Miles?" Miles nodded, but his eyes looked like he wanted to bolt.

Keiko's brow knit with confusion. "I've already explained why I think Miles should go, so I'll give you a chance to make a counter-argument."

Miles looked at Nerys, who started slowly, "Well, Musilla Province is well-known on Bajor for being a romantic retreat, and it'd be just the two of us..."

"I'm not worried about what anybody else thinks. I know Miles would never cheat on me, would you Miles?"

"I certainly hope not," Miles responded.

"I think what he's trying to say, if I may," Nerys put in, "is that he'd rather not be put in that position."

Keiko turned to Miles, "So you're saying you're attracted to Nerys." Miles nodded, eyes trained on the ground. "And the feeling is mutual?"

Nerys took a deep breath. "Yes. But it's just a feeling. Nothing is going to happen. And that's why I'm going to Bajor alone."

"I didn't see this coming. I'm not really sure how to feel about it."  
  
"That's understandable," Nerys replied, "but please remember that we don't choose our feelings. Just our actions. And we haven't done anything to hurt you, and we don't plan on it."

Keiko paused for a minute, a frown on her face. "I feel hurt, but I can't really justify it," she said at last.

"You don't have to justify your feelings. Just accept it as it is and move on," Nerys suggested.  
"I think I can do that."

Everyone sat in thought for a few minutes before Miles worked up the nerve to speak. "So where do we stand, then?"

"Nerys will go to Bajor alone. I'll help her with baths from now on, but otherwise, I don't think anything needs to change. I think I'll go put dinner on the table. You two wash up."

"You were amazing," Miles whispered to Nerys. "Where'd you learn all that?" Nerys gave him an enigmatic smile and walked off to the bathroom.


End file.
